Glimpses Along the Road
by myLink'sLady
Summary: Short stand alone stories prompted from challenges of various communities on lj. I'm sorry but they will not be in chronological order.
1. Close and Close

Close and Close

It was so hot and humid that a storm seemed inevitable and Inuyasha was already irritable. He was not used to people quite so close to him who weren't trying to hurt him in some way, and to have another join Kagome and himself was disconcerting. This monk was too clever, he was quick witted and a charmer, all things that Inuyasha realised he wasn't and the hanyou didn't trust him as far as he could see him.

Right now he was talking quietly with the Miko and she looked content as they conversed, making Inuyasha scowl. He knew he couldn't hope to compete with the educated Miroku in keeping Kagome's interest and was afraid, although he would never admit it, that she might leave with the suave monk and the surly hanyou would be alone again. Miroku was a formidable enemy with that wind tunnel; he could and had fought youkai successfully, how long would it be before they decided they didn't need the half-breed.

Soon the weather thickened and grew even closer, thunder was in the air but the temperature still rose. Inuyasha wished he could wear something other than the warm firerat, but it was a last promise given to his mother that he not lose his protective clothing and to be fair it had saved him many times. Now however, he was sweating; his hair uncomfortably sticking to his face.

Suddenly there was a merciful cool breeze and he turned his face into its most welcome caress, staggered to find Kagome was fanning him. Miroku watched them and his eyebrow climbed;

"Surely you are a remarkable young woman Kagome, to take such good care of a hanyou."

Kagome was annoyed,

"I am Miroku; so remarkable I might even have taken care of you.

Prompt from Inuyasha Themes #6 Close Livejournal 300 words or less.


	2. Realisation

Realisation

He snarled at the girl, his teeth bared and his eyes glowing molten gold with anger as he moved stealthily towards her. Did the stupid creature have no sense of self preservation; or perhaps it was the instinct of the hunted that told her not to run, or she would trigger the instinct of the predator in return. Either way didn't matter, she was caught and would know his wrath.

Why wasn't she shaking with fear like they all did if they so much as saw him, let alone had earned his ire? Didn't she see his long claws and sharp fangs; couldn't she hear his growls that had most chasing him or shooting arrows that were meant to kill him? Then he stopped abruptly and remembered.

She had the power of the enchantment round his neck; the power to emasculate him, power to leash him into obedience and suddenly he was afraid, not that anyone would ever know. That was what she was waiting for, eager to humiliate him again and again; he would see the smirk on her face if he looked. But she did nothing of the sort; she ignored his growls, ignored his snarls and smiled at him.

It was a timid and self deprecating smile and before he could stop her she was running to him. Heedless of the claws, fangs or anger, she jumped and hugged him around the neck and was whispering her apologies for upsetting him; she hadn't understood. Then she reached her hand up to fluff his fringe and pet his ears quickly, before grabbing his hand with its razor-like talons and pulling him towards the heavenly scent of ramen.

He smiled as it dawned on him, that perhaps for the first time in his life, he had a friend.

Prompt from Livejournal At First Tweak #01 Dawn 300 words or less


	3. Inuyasha

Inuyasha

Inuyasha sat in the tree that night. He missed his companions and the warmth of the fire, even his dinner, but he was fed up with being the target for everything that went wrong. It was not always that way, but sometimes the rest seemed to feed off one another and he was the fall guy. Inuyasha wasn't stupid, far from it, and he knew that the close knit little pack he had accumulated, loved one another dearly and included him in that love. But they didn't always understand him.

Hell that was hardly surprising, he often didn't understand himself either. It just so happened that they had run into everyone of his problems that day. First it was Kikyou who had summoned him with her soul collectors, in the early hours of the morning. She had news of Naraku's whereabouts and wished to discuss her findings with Inuyasha, away from the heightened emotional atmosphere of the group whenever they knew she was there.

Kagome would have known nothing about it if Shippou hadn't seen Inuyasha slipping away and then told the Miko in the morning at the first opportunity. The kit only wished Inuyasha to get into trouble; he never seemed to see the pain his news had on the young girl. Inuyasha hated to see her upset, it had made him angry enough with Shippou to hit him, and then the hanyou got 'sat' unjustly for hurting the boy, as if his taps would harm the runt.

The kitsune would become a spoilt and ineffective youkai if he wasn't disciplined at times; human kindness was not enough, a full blooded youkai needed strength to guide him to know his pack place and to be safe as an adult. Didn't anyone trust him yet, not to damage the kit? Actually of course, he knew they did trust him but weren't going to put up with what they saw as bullying. That was a laugh, if anyone was a bully it was Shippou; still he was only a kit and his only true power over Inuyasha was to get him into trouble.

Inuyasha knew he was tongue-tied when it came to explaining about Kikyou, and his thoughts never came out straight so he was once again called an idiot, insensitive and a jerk, while a fiery eyed Sango comforted her `little sister'. It didn't matter that he denied he had asked Kikyou to come; no one believed him and Miroku didn't back him up either, he was too concerned with how Sango viewed him, so Inuyasha felt deserted by everyone.

No one condemned Kagome though whenever the conniving and insinuating wolf came sniffing round her. The flea bitten Kouga was all charm and smiles around the naive human girl. Surely they could all see through him? Kagome might not realise that he wasn't getting the message and that she he just wanted to be friends; but the slayer and monk should have known that Kouga was just biding his time and waiting for Inuyasha to let his guard down, not that that would happen anywhere near Kagome.

No one thought that Kagome used the rosary to sit him to excess either, oh no; he deserved his punishment and the humiliation in front of Kouga, who grinned gleefully at the obvious signs his woman gave, that she preferred the wolf over the dog hanyou. It had hurt more than usual too, as his youkai was already on the wane in preparation for his human night.

To top it all, Sesshoumaru had seen the whole exchange and had added to his humiliation by being disgusted with his half brother, enslaved as he was to the rosary and at the feet of the wolf. He had walked off saying that Inuyasha was not worthy enough for Sesshoumaru to take the effort to fight, if he was so easily floored on the whim of a childish Miko.

Inuyasha had let out a stream of colourful epithets interspersed with some imaginative obscenities at the receding back of his brother who completely ignored him. If Sesshoumaru had ignored him, the others were at their wits' end and had had enough of Inuyasha's foul temper; Kagome `sat' him again and there was a blazing row.

Inuyasha hated rows; he was no good with words and getting out how he felt or what he meant, and so he resorted to saying hurtful things back, which he always regretted but didn't let it stop him. The final straw had been when Kagome had tearfully shouted that she supposed Kikyou wouldn't have treated him that way, and his assertion back that she definitely wouldn't have done.

Kagome had returned with the barb that at least she hadn't tried to kill him whenever they met and unfortunately he had had to reply. That had led strangely not to a 'sit' this time, but to silence and so it had continued for the rest of the day, no one spoke to or replied to him; Kagome had even walked past him like she had a bad smell under her nose. Not that he thought they could keep it up for long, but it had lasted for the rest of the day, hence the reason he had jumped into the tree and sat out his transformation.

So now he was sitting high in the tree, cold and hungry and trying not to feel sorry for himself; how he hated weak human emotions, he had never been able to get used to them, they flooded his mind and he had no defences. No one had enquired after him nor offered him food, while they all ate their fill and laughed and joked; but when Miroku called him to apologise and they would all be happy to talk to him again he had just screamed out to them that he knew what it was like to be ostracised, he'd survived it before he would do so again.

There had been silence after that and Inuyasha just looked at the black velvet sky that showed no sign of the friendly but cold face of the moon. He knew all too well what it was to be lonely and had not forgotten what it was like to live without companionship. But he hadn't known real friendship then and now it hurt much more, so much so that tears stood in his eyes and a few even fell. But he swallowed hard and ignored the burning feeling in his throat.

A little while later there was a rustle of leaves and Kagome jumped into his arms from Kirara's back; she was in tears herself and for a while all he could do was hold her and rub her back. Then all she could say was how sorry they all were, and that none of them had thought about his past when they were giving him the silent treatment.

Suddenly Inuyasha was angry with them all and being human, he found he was far more able to vent than when he was hanyou and Kagome got the benefit of his tirade although the others too were able to hear clearly. So he told them how he felt about Shippou, and Sango and Miroku, he told them about Kouga and Sesshoumaru and he told them of his earlier friendship with a lonely girl.

They were silent as a courtesy this time as he explained his friendless past and how Kikyou had been the only kindly person he had met since his mother passed away. He told them of their growing friendship born from the similarities of their circumstances and the sharing of confidences. He told them of sweet and innocent embraces that he had never known before or since, and of the misery of the betrayal for them both, and of the despair he had seen in Kikyou's eyes before she sealed him with her arrow.

He asked them what sort of person would he be if he ignored her now, they all wanted him to help perfect strangers, but not be loyal and help the one who had been his first and only friend. How hypocritical was that? It was not Kikyou's fault she was as she was, it was his, his and the witch who'd brought her back. He had heard Kikyou's voice too late when she had told him not to call her name, not that it would have mattered, he would have called to her just the same.

What was he supposed to do, be their obedient lap dog and not be able to do or think what he wanted? Sesshoumaru was right; he was tethered, but he never meant to hurt Kagome, he liked her a lot, but he didn't understand what she wanted of him and he was confused. To him fifty years had passed as though he'd slept only one night, and he woke to find his best friend dead, supposedly by his hand, and her successor ordering him about.

Well he was tired of it and they could all go away and leave him alone if they liked, he was fed up with fighting alongside them and then sitting up all night watching over them while they slept. And he was tired of stupid wolves and stupid Taiyoukai and being polite to stupid people who would kill him as soon as feed him, in the stupid villages where he could hear the whispers even if none of the others could.

When he finished his spiel, he turned his head away from Kagome and put his hands in his sleeves before closing his tell tale eyes, effectively tuning her out and waited for her to leave him. But she didn't, she turned him to her as best she could and apologised for not being understanding. She had never truly thought about how things would seem from his angle and that was unforgiveable, she had been acting like a spoiled child herself.

She apologised too for forgetting that he was not fully human either and understood how difficult it was for him not to fight all the time given his past. Then she also assured him that she now understood and condoned his visits with Kikyou, although she would prefer if he went with someone for his own safety, because the tragic Kikyou was not now the same girl of the past.

Below them, the scent of fried fish and Ramen was strong and Kagome persuaded Inuyasha to come back to the camp with Kirara's help and pretended she didn't see him wipe his face on his sleeve before he left the tree. He was welcomed by sober faced Miroku and Sango who were repentant of their actions to him and by a wailing Shippou who just wanted a cuddle. Sango had prepared the food knowing that Inuyasha had gone to the tree hungry.

That night nobody except the kit slept, and they kept the human Inuyasha company on the moonless night, and they chatted and cleared the air of many misunderstandings before the hanyou could deny he had said anything on the return of morning. The hanyou however was happy and with a familiar smirk got them all moving again towards the next shard, knowing that he had friends for the first time in his life.

A/N We were asked to explain why the character we wrote about was our favourite:

Inuyasha is my favourite character, he has had a very tough life and although this is reflected in his rash speech and manner, his true nature is protective, responsible and loving. He has not let life warp him too much and there is an innocent naivety about him that reflects the fact that he is developmentally, still very young and not much more than a boy.

Challenge from iyfic contest on lj. Week 191 Favourite character. No word limit.


	4. The Importance of Black

The Importance of Black

It was really Sesshoumaru's passing and seemingly caustic remark that started the whole chain of events. Inuyasha and his little group had stopped for the evening to eat and bathe, as a hot spring was close by. The hanyou had kept Miroku from peeping at the girls who were chatting and playing games with Shippou, who _was _permitted to keep them company and able to alert Inuyasha to any potential danger.

Later and after they had eaten, Kagome was studying and bewailing the fact that Inuyasha and Shippou in vying for her attention were causing her to be disturbed. They were fighting and fussing just at the time of Sesshoumaru's sudden appearance. Instantly the whole group was cohesive again and on alert for any threat from the Inuyoukai, who was looking down his pointed and very aristocratic nose at them.

"Really Miko, do you honestly expect an illiterate hanyou that no one could be bothered to educate beyond the most basic he learned at his mother's knee, and an infant orphaned kitsune to take an interest in your written language?"

"I'd not thought about it in those terms Lord Sesshoumaru."

"You claim it to be Japanese and yet the words in your strange scrolls bear little resemblance to the language I know. What good would it do the kit or _anyone_ to learn your dialect; he needs to know the common tongue to earn any respect?" Inuyasha heard the sneer; but Kagome clearly heard the challenge in the Daiyoukai's words. It was also evident in his burnished eyes as he stared at her and totally ignored Inuyasha's comment that he didn't need to be able to read, to know where he could shove Tessaiga.

Well Kagome was a modern girl and certainly no shrinking violet; she could rise to the challenge set before her. Sesshoumaru saw the resolve glitter in her eyes and was satisfied, but he would keep a check on them to make sure she succeeded. He knew the kit would be easy to teach, but his little brother was a completely different kettle of fish.

Therefore the next time Sesshoumaru spied on his brother's camp from a distance, he saw the kit with a strange small brush and a palate of different coloured inks, which the child was diluting with water and mixing to create more colours. Predictably the hanyou and the Miko were arguing while everyone else ignored them.

"I don't see why he gets all those different colours; if the runt is going to write, he only needs black, maybe some red."

"I know Inuyasha, but when he is tired of learning, he can use the paints to make his pictures as well. Besides if he wants to learn his letters using all the paints, then he will keep to his task longer."

"Feh! I'm saying there's not enough black that's all." He huffed, before jumping into a tree where he took note of Shippou's lessons. But the real reasons for Inuyasha's argument became apparent when everyone else was asleep; as he rummaged through Kagome's bag quietly. It was then he got out a crumpled piece of paper from the recesses of his sleeve, and borrowed Shippou's paint brush and little pot of black paint and carefully added water in a small dish to make the paint the consistency of ink.

Inuyasha started to meticulously copy the letters and numbers that Miroku had written down for Shippou to learn, as he tried to remember all that the monk and Kagome had taught the kitsune. Not for him the childish use of many assorted hues, and so during the nighttimes when he needed less sleep than the others, he concentrated hard, painstakingly learning to read and write. As he improved, his sense of self worth increased, and thereby he boosted his confidence.

For once Kagome was wise beyond her years and never commented on the fact that Shippou seemed to use a lot of black in his mainly rainbow coloured work, she just replaced it with a bigger pot next time. And Miroku too never mentioned the smudged black finger prints on the lesson boards that were bigger and different to Shippou's little paw marks. Then between them they were both careful to make sure that Shippou's lessons were very well explained and easy to remember.

And somewhere not too far away, a Daiyoukai gave a self satisfied smirk knowing that once again he had accomplished a necessary task, without seeming to be personally involved.

Oneshot 301 words minimum, lj community First tweak. Prompt Ink


	5. Safe Refuge

Safe Refuge

It got on Kagome's nerves, the bickering and fighting that erupted at fairly regular intervals between Inuyasha and Shippou. Sometimes she didn't even know if they hated one another or were just acting like typical siblings.

But to the combatants it was more than that, Inuyasha was head of his small pack and Shippou kept challenging him; however neither knew that this was instinctive behaviour for group youkai. Inuyasha was young and had never grown up with a pack and Shippou was an orphaned kit who normally would be put back in his place by his alpha whenever he rebelled.

Kirara wasn't worried, she had seen all this posturing several times in her long life and knew that the two boys would settle down eventually, each would learn. But at the moment, Inuyasha was too insecure still and the kit was very annoying when he deliberately set off Inuyasha's triggers. The hanyou never truly hurt Shippou but Kagome would always take his side and it made the parentless kit feel safe to be mothered.

But no matter what Kagome saw or understood, Shippou knew that he was not in danger. He often rode on the shoulders of Inuyasha where he could annoy the proud and fierce hanyou and be punished with a bop to the head. But when real danger approached or night time terrors disturbed his sleep, there was no where he preferred to be than hidden securely away behind his best friend's mane of white hair.

Challenge lj community Inuyasha Issekiwa- White 250 words max


	6. His Saviour

His Saviour

This was different to his previous transformations, this time he was aware and screaming in agony. For once he felt unmoved and that was most strange too, as he was the emotional aspect of his hanyou makeup. All the human could do was watch disinterestedly at what was happening; although perhaps disinterested was too strong a word, it was more that he was extremely tired and had no ability to fight for himself anymore.

It was the first time he had seen the youkai side of himself, usually when that side of him was let out, the human was pushed firmly to the back and couldn't reach the less stable aspect. Without Tessaiga his blood was unbalanced, heavily favouring his strong father's youki, which could always subdue his humanity.

Not that the human minded, because it only came out when Inuyasha was in mortal danger and the human part would die, so really, his youkai was protecting him all; human, hanyou and youkai. The youkai was handsome in a wild and untamed way, the stripes were interesting and quite unlike his brother's own. The claws and fangs were worthy of the respect of any full blooded youkai, but not as aesthetically pleasing to the human eye.

Inuyasha didn't know where the inertia was coming from, or why he too wasn't screaming; although he was extremely glad he wasn't, he didn't think he would live through that intense pain. The youkai was bearing it all, supporting their physical body as neither the human nor hanyou could have done. At the moment his head was thrown back in a howl of agony and his hair was flowing round him in the crackle of his youki.

The big surprise was that the youkai was fighting against having his soul ripped in half; he was fighting to hold on to his humanity against the odds. The human was being protected in the mirror, but the youkai's pain was caused because he was resisting, he recognised that he needed his balancing human blood even if it annoyed him. Inuyasha could tell that the youkai knew he would die insane without his other half and he didn't want that, not this way.

If only the human wasn't so tired, but he was imprisoned in this mirror and the youkai was taking all of his energy as well, to try and fight the separation. But he was losing, his howls were becoming cries of frustration as well as pain, and the human could feel the binding mirror enclose upon him and he too began to fear that if he closed his eyes he would be lost forever.

Just as it all seemed hopeless however, the youkai began to respond to an outside stimulant; it was a scent he recognised above most others and was calming to his divided soul. A female was calling him, the human female he recognised as one who accepted him and that he in turn acknowledged in the deep instinctive part of his being. The youkai gripped her as if she were a lifeline and the scent of her tears called to the nearly lost human part of him.

Inuyasha roared and screamed again, only this time he was awakening the human to a last concerted effort to reintegrate his two halves. Soon the human knew it was working, he too could scent Kagome which meant that his youkai was receding and the spell's hold was weakening. He made a determined effort to balance his body to return to his hanyou norm.

Inuyasha opened his eyes fully as they returned to their amber gold and realised that Kagome was kissing him and a wave of awe at the love this young miko showed him almost overwhelmed him as he responded, closing his eyes again and kissing her back. No wonder his youkai too accepted her, she had showed no fear to kiss him while his stronger half was in control. The girl either trusted him not to harm her or she was willing to put herself in mortal danger; his safety had always superseded her own and she risked all to bring him back.

Inuyasha looked at everyone and remarkably remembered all that had happened, but as his emotions were close to the surface now, he was fairly quiet until the task was done. Later would be soon enough to shout at Kagome and tell her off and then alone deal with the guilt caused from her blood on his claws.

Inuyasha Themes, lj Community. Blood 750 words max


	7. Terror

Terror

Inuyasha was running; his heart thudding loudly in his chest and his blood pounding in his ears. His breath was loud and rasping, a sob often finding its way from deep inside. He mustn't stop running or they would get him, but he didn't know where he was or in which direction to run. Inuyasha's senses were confused, his eyes and nose being blocked with tears were not reliable and his ears could only hear the methodical drum of sticks as they were beaten against the trunks of trees as the villagers hounded him away.

It was all the more frightening because there were no voices shouting, just the steady beat as the sound grew closer and then, from all directions, he could hear the baying of dogs. With a sudden jolt Inuyasha woke up and bolted into the trees followed swiftly by Kagome, who had been keeping silent watch over an unusually sleeping and human Inuyasha.

She found him at the base of a nearby tree where he sat, his arms about his knees calming down, taking deep breaths, his dilated eyes trying to search in the darkness. Kagome had remembered her torch and he turned to her in grateful relief as she took his hand.

"Want to tell me?"

"Just a nightmare."

"I guessed; it sometimes helps to share."

More emotional on the moonless night, Inuyasha told her how he had been run from the village when his mother died. How he had hidden under the roots of an old tree when he could run no more, even if the dogs could find him. And he told her of the tall white angel who had saved him by standing still and claiming him as his own kill.

"Well," she said, "at least he was good for something."

Lj Community First Tweak. Prompt Drum. 300 words max.


	8. Paintbrushes

Paintbrushes

It was Shippou's turn to keep watch over Inuyasha who was lying asleep on a futon in a spare hut in Kaede's village. The hanyou had been injured and poisoned by a large scorpion youkai who had struck him from behind as Inuyasha's attention had been drawn momentarily towards Sango and Kirara who had fallen from the sky, knocked down by a swing of the huge lethal tail.

As he had moved to cover the pair, the scorpion whipped round and caught Inuyasha in the back ripping into his skin and leaving a huge dose of poison. Inuyasha managed to Windscar the creature into a thousand pieces before collapsing himself.

Kagome did what she could for him at first, washing his wounds with an antiseptic she carried and then Kirara carried him back to Kaede for the main nursing. Sesshoumaru had turned up out of the blue and peered down on his prostrate brother and calmly announced that he would live, before disappearing again, much to the consternation of the little pack.

But that left Inuyasha asleep and healing; his hair fanned out above him so he was cooler with Shippou watching in case he disturbed. The kit didn't mind, the fact that he was only a small youkai and got tired was his excuse for the fact that he was often decidedly lazy. This time was a good opportunity to catch up on his writing practice or perhaps use his paints to make pictures, but when he got his brushes out they were in sorry shape.

They were becoming bare in places, the bristles having fallen out and Shippou's written work was not quite as neat as a result. Kagome had of course replaced them when she could and now the kit had quite a collection of sticks in various states of baldness.

Suddenly Shippou had a bright idea, he would repair the brushes then Kagome wouldn't have to spend more money on new ones. Surely in the hut there would be plenty of things to choose from, it was used more as a store and it would be a good way to while away a few hours. He hunted high and low for the perfect material but saw nothing that would work properly.

Shippou remembered Miroku teaching him that youkai hair was the best for writing pens; it was immensely strong and held its shape. So he turned round and pulled a few hairs from his tail and tested the quality. But the hair was a little too coarse and wouldn't cling together in the way he needed and that is when he saw Inuyasha's hair lying on the pillow.

Surely the hanyou wouldn't miss a few hairs? Gently Shippou snipped a few ends with his claws, heartened when Inuyasha didn't stir from his healing sleep. The silvery ends were encouraging and started to flow together but they were not much less coarse than Shippou's own tail hair, the trouble being Inuyasha had badly conditioned hair at the ends with many splits.

Emboldened by the stillness of the boy in front of him, Shippou cut some longer hairs and tried the softer hair that had been nearer Inuyasha's head. This was better; in fact the nearer the head the softer and more effective the hair, infused as it were by stronger youki. Soon Shippou had a new brush made of Inuyasha's hair and was thrilled with the result as he tested it.

In fact he was so pleased that he convinced himself that Inuyasha wouldn't mind if he used more to make a spare brush. Once again he diligently cut the hair and made another, and another; he got so engrossed in what he was doing that after a few hours he had replaced all his brushes. Only then did he notice that in his enthusiasm he had forgotten to be very careful.

Inuyasha now had a great chunk removed from the hair that would fall down his back, besides uneven patches of shorter hair over the surface of the rest, from hair he had cut but discarded as unsuitable. Shippou became afraid, he knew that he had been stupid but what would Inuyasha do to him when he found out what a mess had been made of his hair.

The kit's fear cut through Inuyasha's stupor and he came to, ready to rescue him; but he was still under the influence of sleep and Shippou bolted. He ran straight into Miroku who was coming to check on the pair and the monk's quick mind took in the shorn locks and Shippou's obvious guilt, not taking long to put together the whole picture.

It was a subdued and very sorry kit who waited for Inuyasha to be told what had happened and Shippou was afraid of what punishment he would receive. Everyone knew that, although he didn't make a fuss about his mane, it was a source of pride to the hanyou, marking as it did his youkai blood and family connection.

However Shippou would rather have been punished than watch Inuyasha stare at him in silence as he chopped off the rest of his hair at his neck with his claws and throw the mane at the kitsune's feet, before he went back into the hut alone. Kagome followed him in with her sharp scissors and a comb.

Shippou crept out to the side of the hut and listened as Kagome spoke consolingly to the upset hanyou. He was allowing the Miko to try and make some shape out of the hair left so that it didn't look so ragged, but it was not easy. Between the mess Shippou had made and then Inuyasha's rashness in cutting off the rest...but it would have had to be cut short she mused, the gap couldn't have been hidden.

Inuyasha was convinced that Shippou had meant to degrade him by making him a laughing stock to any youkai they met in the future. Even when Kagome explained that Shippou hadn't meant anything of the sort but had just got carried away, Inuyasha sulked. Then when they came out of the hut he glared at everyone, daring them to mention his shorn locks or the fact that his ears were even more prominent than they had been before.

After that Inuyasha put a brave face on the situation, but inwardly he felt empty as if he had lost all his respectability as a youkai. He was humiliated and he saw the hidden grins even on his friends' faces, but he couldn't afford the time to hide for the few months it would take to grow to a respectable length again. The worse thing however was the lack of weight pulling down the hair had revealed small curls at the ends.

Kagome and Sango adored them but soon learnt to curb their enthusiasm around Inuyasha who was mortified. Then came the day he had been dreading, meeting his brother. Sesshoumaru appeared as always silently and ahead, he just stared at his brother while Inuyasha stared back, the shame rolling off him in waves.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but he traced his brother's scent to the subdued kit's pack, along with the paints; he too was able to put two and two together remarkably rapidly. He noted the shame in the huge golden eyes of his brother and resented it, then in a surprise move came to Inuyasha and picked up one of the longer curls.

"We inherited these from our father. Thankfully they will drop as your hair re-grows." Then he left, but his remarks had had the desired effect and Inuyasha walked off again, this time his head held high.

Challenge lj community First tweak. Oneshot- Empty


	9. Thoughts of a Taiyoukai

Thoughts of a Taiyoukai

'_You are a complete fraud Naraku; not only that you are a coward'_. Sesshoumaru mused after he had encountered the evil hanyou on Mount Hakurei, just after Kikyou had been impaled and pushed into the river of miasma. _'You have also trespassed on my domain; only I have the right to cause my brother injury in mind or body.' _

Sesshoumaru had watched Inuyasha as he searched hopelessly for the tragic priestess, realising that the hanyou was distraught at her death. Not that Sesshoumaru cared to know what the relationship was between them, but it was not Naraku's place to interfere with Inuyasha. He had tried before to entice Sesshoumaru to kill Inuyasha, but had only succeeded in making the Taiyoukai his enemy.

Especially when the filthy creature kidnapped Rin, and tried to set the brothers against each other yet again by using Kohaku; Sesshoumaru refused to be manipulated, he didn't need any incentive to eliminate his brother, but it would be in his own due time.

'_In fact you are truly pathetic Naraku' _Sesshoumaru thought, _'you war against women and pups, yet you run from a fair fight with a youkai of real power. I wonder what it is you require, what desire manipulates you?'_

It was important to know how to keep steps ahead of the dark hanyou who tried to involve himself in Sesshoumaru's business. Not for the sake of the Taiyoukai himself, but he had dependents who were vulnerable; not to mention a rash and headstrong brother who often didn't think before he ploughed himself into trouble.

Inuyasha's life was not his own to risk so recklessly, it belonged to Sesshoumaru and was for him to take when he deemed fit. This was yet another reason to hunt down and eliminate the evil creature; he seemed to have an unhealthy obsession with Inuyasha; Sesshoumaru would have to find out the extent of the interaction between them.

Did something happen while Inuyasha was left to his own devices after his mother died? Did Inuyasha know Naraku previous to being sealed to Goshinboku by the living priestess, the copy of which had just died? Surely it couldn't be something as mundane as rivalry for a woman's affections; although he knew how powerful that could be, his own father...well, it didn't do to dwell on that line of thought.

'_Perhaps that made sense, Inuyasha seemed very upset that the clay female had been killed, but why would you kill someone you were interested in Naraku? I know Inuyasha seeks the divided jewel _and_ that his hatred of you is personal; were you at the heart of his tragedy? Was it your fault that my idiotic younger brother was sealed to that tree?"_

That idea did not sit well with the older brother, but then a confirming thought crossed his mind concerning the spider hanyou. '_Is that the reason you have gone to such lengths to give yourself a pleasing face, no doubt stolen from some human princeling? Your arrogance wouldn't allow you to take on a commoner's appearance. You still seek to be attractive; perhaps you killed her because she spurned you again.'_

That made sense as well, what human woman would be drawn to a spider hanyou made up of mismatched and low level youkai; there again, what youkai would be drawn to a human..? Again, this was a thought to leave alone. But Naraku had apparently built himself a more appealing body than when Sesshoumaru had seen him before, when the haphazard spider had organised Rin's kidnapping.

But it must have changed from only lust, if that was indeed the motive behind Naraku; it was obvious the hanyou desired power too for whatever reason, and he needed the jewel to accomplish this. Sesshoumaru smirked, Naraku would never have the innate power of a true youkai as he did, the youkai lord had no need of the jewel's influence to augment his own strengths, but the corrupt hanyou certainly did.

The fool creature had tried to absorb Sesshoumaru's own power, the incomparable power of the Taiyoukai. While the pure youkai had allowed the disgusting parts of flesh to swamp him in order to test how strong Naraku was, in doing so, he had used the spider to protect him from his brother's attack. Sesshoumaru remembered cleaving through the debris of Naraku's body with ease, unscathed and not even dirty; clear proof of his superiority.

Then suddenly like lightening, a flash of inspiration hit the Western Lord and if he had been the sort to chuckle he would have done so at the sheer ludicrous audacity of the hanyou. _'You crave the power and glory of This Sesshoumaru, do you not Naraku? And you seek to emulate my beauty of body and face along with my power?_

Sesshoumaru was not being vain, merely stating a fact; over his long years he had been called beautiful many times and had had many suitors wishing to own or possess him to add to their own kudos. He had been well taught to recognise such shallow and fleeting beings and their flattery.

'_So Naraku, you would set yourself up in my place; do you also wish to own This Sesshoumaru's Western Lands? I hardly expect that it is because imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; you do not seek to flatter and you could not come close to This Sesshoumaru, you are a poor imitation.'_

He thought on the Naraku's new form; yes, it was a gaudy attempt to set himself up on a par with Sesshoumaru, even down to the elaborate and oversized bone armour. Not like the tasteful and understated but naturally aristocratic Sesshoumaru whose final musing for the time on Naraku was, _'Pitiful creature; you are beneath my contempt, but make no mistake Naraku, I shall destroy you.'_

Lj Community Iyfic Contest. Prompt-Naraku


	10. Talons

Talons

Eri was looking at her polished talons in satisfaction, the manicure was worth every penny and she was busy showing them off to the others. All were suitably impressed and said that they looked lethal. Eri said that that was partly the point; they were great defensive weapons if she ever got into trouble.

Kagome thought how different the points of view from a human girl and a hanyou, whose claws had been stained with blood and were truly deadly. She had seen them red with the gore of bandits, she had heard his unbidden lament as he denied he cared; she had seen his shame in knowing how easy it is to injure and maim.

Kagome saw how easy it was for him to channel youki through his fingers and out in golden arcs of power, frightening to many and unforgiving to those who fall. And yet to a friend they were safe protection, fully under the hanyou's control; and gentle, when the kit needed comfort and they worked to soothe and pet his hair at night when all others were asleep.

Yet once a month his fingernails are blunt and square, a human's hands and he despairs of his weakness, feeling useless. To Kagome they are all just an intrinsic part of Inuyasha, and she is safe when his arms are round her whether he has nails or claws and then she giggles and wonders what he would make of the lurid coloured polish that Eri wears.

Iyfic challenge; prompt Fingernails;250 words max


	11. Kittens

Kittens

It had never been noted before that Kirara was a tease; she was faithful, loving and very brave as she threw herself into dangerous situations. She was cute as a kitten and adored being petted, but in reality she was a many times grandmother and far older than her charges. As such she took great pride in keeping tabs on her current litter of kittens.

Truthfully none of them were cats but that didn't matter at all to her, she had adopted them all, even if Sango was her first. Inuyasha may have thought that the rag-tag group were his pack, but that was just because he was a pup and had no real idea of what a pack should be. He didn't even know how a good kitten...pup, should have respect for his elders; but he would learn.

Kirara sighed; she hoped that they would have time to grow and learn, this litter was in terrible danger for ones so young, but despite the fact they fought with one another as all kittens do, they also loved and protected each other. That made her frown as she remembered the others; they too were part of this litter, but not all the time and the older one was just so arrogant.

Oh, she was not bothered by the stupid spats the two pups engaged in; the older had not yet killed the younger even if he considered him a runt and therefore the chances were that he wouldn't, but all the dissension wasn't helpful in the fight against Naraku. Kirara wasn't going to put up with his demeanour either, she was older and wiser than the Taiyoukai pup who, even if he was a Lord, wasn't beyond correction.

So every time the two groups met, Kirara would have her say; it may have only been 'sweet little kitty sounds' as Kagome called them, but the older pup could understand her and that was all that mattered.

Kirara told him to mind his manners, to act more adult in his dealings with her young litter; after all, he was the eldest kitten...pup, she had and he should be more responsible. It was unworthy of him to pick fights with his sibling. If he remonstrated, she would answer that yes, of course she knew who he was, she'd known his father and his mother very well.

She had no fear that he would harm her either, he was not actually a vindictive character in the main and Kirara knew how to cajole and soothe after she had given him a scolding. But the worst insult he gave her once was to ignore her wisdom and pretend he did not hear her; then it had been fun to come behind him, change to her full form and growl down his ear and listen to his bark of surprise. The fact that such a sound had been forced from him made his cheeks pink ever so slightly and he never ignored Kirara again.

Inuyasha Themes community; Prompt Bark. 500 words max


	12. Storm

Storm

Inuyasha stood on the veranda and looked at the rain, he hated water; he especially hated rain which got in everywhere and hurt his ears, bringing back bad memories of days past. Days where he was despised and neglected, and often wet and cold, when he had no home to go to for shelter. Especially vicious were these summer storms that came from nowhere and with no warning, dropping the temperature before dumping tons of water down your neck.

Thinking though of water running down the neck, Inuyasha blushed as he remembered accidentally catching sight of Kagome bathing; he'd been mesmerized by the water running over her body and how it had made him feel. Perhaps water wasn't always so bad, there had been sad times too when it had hidden his own tears at various times in his life; when he could pretend that the only water on his face was the rain.

Apart from obviously needing to drink and bathe, Inuyasha generally kept well away from water if he could. They had been lucky this time, the rain had come at lunchtime and they had already stopped in a village whose generous head man had offered them shelter and food. Inuyasha hoped that the rain would stop soon though, they had shards to collect and none of the others would step foot outside if it were still pouring.

Then suddenly his eyes lit up and his face split into a huge grin; sometimes the gods were kind to him after all, and sometimes rain had its place. Walking into the clearing was his brother looking like a drowned rat and glaring at the laughing Inuyasha. But Sesshoumaru got the last laugh as he shook his fur all over his brother, and Inuyasha remembered why he hated rain.

First Tweak community. Prompt; Wet. 250 words max


	13. Abdication

Abdication

He was Lord of all he surveyed, at the pinnacle of success and beloved by his servants and minions. But his kingdom was in great peril and as every eye looked to him to save them all, he knew with dread in his heart that he was powerless to stop the marauder. He was captured by the leader and doomed to die, but as his life neared its end, he was saved by a vision of beauty.

As Jaken's idea of perfection walked by, uncaring of his adoration, Jaken relinquished his command of his land to follow this paragon wherever he led. Jaken had never regretted the choice, he had failed his own people and proven an unworthy leader, but he could serve and adore a Master such as Sesshoumaru.

It didn't matter that the great youkai had saved his life incidentally or that the Great Battle of Musashi was happening right in Sesshoumaru's path and therefore had to be stopped; nothing mattered except Jaken could always be in the presence of such strength and perfection. For this honour, the Lord of the Imps had willingly thrown everything away and left the swamp forever, to a life of servitude.

However he had honour, he carried Nintoujou with great pride and he was trusted at times; compensating for the loss of his own humble pride and as long as he had Sesshoumaru in his sights, he was happy and fulfilled.

The very thought of which made Sesshoumaru shiver with revulsion.

Inuyasha Issekiwa Community, prompt; Swamp. 250 words max.


	14. Countdown

Countdown

Miroku's heart beat with a steady thrum. Years of meditation had prepared him well for coping with stress in a measured and dignified way. Mushin had in fact paid special attention to Miroku's studies as the young boy already bore a heavy burden with his inherited Kazaana. But now that rhythmic and healthy beat would soon be tolling a countdown to his end.

The shouki had almost reached his elbow and despite Kikyou's best efforts it was still spreading; his strong heartbeat was pulling it up and soon it would be pumping the poison around his body. At least now it would not cause pain, therefore Sango would not notice so much and be spared from feeling he needed defending.

He'd been glad to know however that he was not alone with his knowledge, Inuyasha too knew and in return for Miroku's not acting rashly, his hanyou friend would not tell Sango and Kagome of the monk's trouble. Miroku reflected on the warmth he felt on having a true male friend, he had always adored the ladies, especially the two he had come to know, but he had missed male companionship since he'd left Mushin.

Besides it was different; Inuyasha would allow him to fight, to protect those he loved and although the hanyou cared about him, he would not overly fuss. Inuyasha understood Miroku's motives even if eventually the monk died for them, because he would do the same for his pack. Miroku just hoped he had time enough to finish the job he had set out to do.

His meditations finished more pleasantly on thoughts of Sango and the far off dream of family with her, but if that were not to be for himself, he prayed that she would find peace, love and contentment beyond Naraku.

Inuyasha Themes Community; Prompt, Return, 300 words max


	15. Packhorse

Packhorse

Mama listened to her daughter banging and crashing loudly in the bedroom following her movements by sound alone. Drawers were pulled open and then slammed shut as Kagome replenished her yellow rucksack with more underwear. Doors swung apart with such force that they swung closed again, trapping whatever jumper or blouse had been retrieved from the wardrobe and causing the girl to growl in frustration.

"Should I even ask what that growl meant in your language?" Mama asked cheerfully of the unusually subdued hanyou. Inuyasha just shook his head and looked dolefully at his nearly empty pot of ramen.

"It is a real word then, it sounded as if it had meaning?" This time a nod, as Inuyasha raised his head to meet Mama's dancing eyes and smiling mouth.

"Perhaps you should teach me as well Inuyasha, I'm sure it would come in handy." She laughed as Inuyasha looked at her with a horrified expression. Then as Kagome came out of her room and went to the bathroom for more supplies, long strings of growls, and was that a bark, Mama heard, and Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head.

"Did you understand all that too?" Mama asked, highly amused at the pair of adolescents who carried on as if they hated yet loved one another, at the same time.

"Her accent's not quite right, and some sounds she can't make, but yeah, I understood." He finished his ramen and then accepted Mama ruffling his hair and giving him a hug; it was nice and something he treasured. Not that he would ever admit to it, but Mama knew anyway; then he said goodbye and that he would wait for Kagome on the other side of the well. Soon the young Miko came storming downstairs;

"Where is he now?" she huffed crossly, surveying the debris on the table that proved her hanyou had been there. "I'll pull those furry ears off his head if I get hold of him."

"Kagome, if I find you hurt him intentionally like that I shall be very angry; don't you think he has had enough of people targeting his ears to damage them in his past." Mama sounded shocked and Kagome was immediately contrite.

"Mama I wouldn't really...you can't think I would."

"I don't, but you shouldn't even think it, let alone threaten it; if Inuyasha heard you he would be most upset. "

"I'm sorry; it's just that he made me so mad."

"I would never have guessed; what did he do, or say this time?"

"Oh, he was complaining as always that I wanted to come back home; moaning about my tests, grumbling that we would lose time hunting shards and when I said I missed you all and wanted to see you, he got really cross and said _'well it's alright for people who have got family.'_ He really upset me with that, it's not my fault everyone has lost their families."

Mama sighed, her daughter was sometimes too sensitive and Inuyasha too inconsiderate and when they clashed, everyone else was left to pick up the pieces.

"Then after all that hassle, he says _'promise to bring back more ramen'_, which means Shippou wanted _more_ pocky and_ more_ crayons, Sango would like _more_ shampoo and Miroku _more_ soda; even Kaede would like _more_ modern medicine. Don't they realise how much it all costs?"

"You know you haven't got to worry about that, Grandpa is able to sell most of the bits and pieces you bring back, for more than you spend."

"I dunno; he must have said '_promise to come back and bring me more ramen_ _Kagome'_ about five times before we reached the well, did he think I'd forget? It's all he thinks about, the shards and his ramen. He only lets me come home at all if I promise him; yet he always comes and eats us out of house and home, he appreciates what you do for him, why can't he see what I do?"

Mama chuckled, it was as plain as the nose on her daughter's face just what Inuyasha's fear was, but she was not going to spell it out for Kagome. The girl was only young and had some growing up to do still, as had the boy, but she would hint, just for the peace of the others on the other side of the well.

"Inuyasha is always welcome here, he does like to be welcomed and he does always say thank you for the things you take over with you."

"He does?" She was surprised but her mother nodded;

"He is scared Kagome, scared you will come here to stay."

"Yeah, he needs me for the shards."

"Do you really believe that's all there is to it?"

"No, he hasn't said that for a very long time; I won't do him that injustice, I know he is my friend." Kagome blushed deeply and her mother smiled, she understood both of them perfectly. "But sometimes he makes me feel like I want to stay longer..."

"But you can't Kagome; you have promised him you'll go back, six times you promised to go back before he let you return home. Don't you see, it's not the ramen he wants _more_ of, it's you?" Mama smiled again as Kagome ran the phrase again through her mind and blushed again, her eyes sparkling with happy tears as she finally believed it. Then she ran out of the house with her very full pack and into the well to appear in the past to a plainly relieved Inuyasha.

First Tweak Community; prompt More, 301 words min.


	16. Illusion

Illusion?

How appalling that he Sesshoumaru should lose his self control like that. The complete astonishment and wonder that appeared on his face was inexcusable for one such as he, who prided himself on his ability to keep expressionless so that no one knew his thoughts. He scoffed to himself and supposed that it was only fortuitous he had managed to say 'Father' as opposed to 'Papa'. He would never have lived that down, too many people had heard him and no matter what he might wish to do, it simply wasn't expedient to eliminate them all.

So now he was storming off and leaving Rin and Jaken behind, (although he knew they would follow), almost like a child after having a temper tantrum. It never ceased to amaze Sesshoumaru that he could quite objectively recognize his sometimes immature behaviour and yet deny it, by action and conscious thought.

Sesshoumaru's intelligent conscious mind knew that he had not really seen his father; the Inu no Taishou was dead and the manifestation had to be some form of spell that his father had left on the swords, in the event that they combined power. The lack of scent and the speed with which it vanished left him in no doubt that his beloved parent was not actually present. And yet he had remained and listened to the words the apparition spoke, relishing in the sound of his name pronounced as it always had been, with pride and love.

That thought alone however was a two edged sword as Sesshoumaru admitted in his heart, that the real father would not be as proud of his eldest son, had he known how he had always mistreated the younger. Just further proof it had been illusion; but how Sesshoumaru wished it had been true, to see the genuine smile, the warmth in the blazing amber eyes and the strong body with arms that could enfold a delinquent child with understanding.

Sesshoumaru's mind came back to the present with a jolt; Ah­-Un was nudging one of his heads into the Daiyoukai's leg while the other was questioning him with a concerned look. Then they both made their huffing grumble at him and he wondered what they were bothered about. Sesshoumaru glanced back; Jaken and Rin were catching up at Jaken's slow pace, so what was concerning the dragon?

They were now both looking intently at him and Sesshoumaru realized that his face was wet; and raising his hand to his eyes, he was stupefied to find tears on his fingers. The discovery left him angry, which in turn dried his eyes quickly. How useless to evince such evident emotion over nothing more than a misty facsimile of someone who could no longer influence him anyway. But that thought was wrong, had it truly been his father, Sesshoumaru would have wanted nothing more than to feel his father's large, but to him, gentle hand laid in blessing on his head.

These sort of annoying thoughts were purely self indulgent and a waste of time, so giving himself a mental shake, Sesshoumaru called to Rin and Jaken to hurry and they walked on for a few hours more, until it was safe to make a new camp for the night. The small servant and the female ward were soon settled down and sleeping not long after they had eaten and the dragon had curled around offering his protection to the human girl, sheltering her from draughts.

However there was no sleep or repose of the mind for their Lord; it was as if the vision had used a key to unlock the carefully stored memories and prejudices of his son and Sesshoumaru knew they had to be addressed quickly and hidden away again. He left the camp and wandered into a clearing, sitting by a hot spring he knew Rin would enjoy in the morning; and as he looked up towards the canopy of trees, he could see a mass of stars clearly like a ceiling to the glade.

Stars and the moon always helped Sesshoumaru to focus and think; they were ancient and unchanging, cool and distant, reflecting his own personality. Here, where no one could see or comment on his moments of weakness, he could admit that he had been unnerved by seeing his father's image.

The last time he had seen the noble visage, Sesshoumaru had denied his father's last request and thrown all that Inu no Taishou believed in, away; as if it were valueless. He had been a thankless son then and had not changed much in the mere two centuries since. He had to admit too that he had acted like a spoiled brat at times, but had finally recognised that Inuyasha needed Tessaiga and no longer would he contest his brother for the heirloom.

They would still fight however, it was Inuyasha's fault that Inu no Taishou had raced to his death two hundred years ago in what his son felt was a needless sacrifice for the human and her hanyou pup. But in the honest part of his brain, Sesshoumaru knew that it was wrong to blame Inuyasha, the boy obviously had no control over the circumstances of his birth. Sesshoumaru didn't want to give up that hatred yet though, and put a wall around that reality, locking it firmly away.

He also didn't want to consider that Inuyasha was still only a child in youkai terms and that it was disgraceful for the elder brother to treat the younger in such a way. So another lock was closed and the familiar hatred for the dirty impure blood was allowed to return. But it refused to stay closed as Sesshoumaru considered Rin and how young she was and how much he protected her, yet neglected his brother.

Two hundred years, it was a blink of an eye for a long lived youkai and Inuyasha could be considered even younger than that, given that he had spent fifty years pinned to the Tree of Ages in suspended sleep. Sesshoumaru knew by now that he couldn't kill the whelp, there were times when he was sorely tempted but he had never been able to give the final blow. Sometimes he felt pathetic letting the brat live, but he would not allow his father to have died in vain. He also didn't question his own motives about having actually putting himself in front of the blast that day and taking the damage, so that Inuyasha would not be injured.

The stars winked coldly at the bemused youkai lord, who was desperate to get the images from his mind. He had loved his father dearly and his anger at the second son was also partly born from the depth of his grief that the anniversary of Inuyasha's birth was also that of their father's death. Damn! He could feel the moisture in his eyes again as his imagination, that he actively discouraged, painted a picture of him picking up Tenseiga and using it for his father's revival after the fight with Takemaru.

This was an image he had seen before and that he never wanted to unlock again; the guilt was almost unbearable, had he gone with Inu no Taishou perhaps...once again his eyes overflowed and this time he couldn't stem the flow. A glimmer shimmered on the surface of the pool, perhaps a trick of his tears combined with the starlight reflected in the depths of the water, but then it started to solidify and once again the familiar but ethereal shape stood before his son.

"There is so much pain in you my child."

"What are you? Why do you come before me; I would not be seen this way, certainly not by you?"

"You know me my son; you should not be so quick to dismiss the inexplicable, and I have seen you so, before. I regret not being able to hold you as I used to."

"Father, if I had only..."

"My Sesshoumaru, a resurrection of the past will gain you nothing except pain. It is gone and I understood. I am proud of you and I love you dearly, but I also love your brother and would wish for you to repair the damage. I would hope that you would want to do so."

"I don't know if it ever can be, I have not been a good brother to him and I still have such anger."

"This I know; and no, it won't be easy to gain his trust. You will have to help him without his knowledge, or thanks in the beginning, but he will come round. He wants and needs you, and you will have all the time you need once the evil is destroyed."

"Do you know what will happen, Father?"

"It is not for any of the living to know what will happen in the future; nor what follows when the Shikon no Tama is finally whole. But consider my child; I rarely speak to no purpose."

"What of Inuyasha and This Sesshoumaru?"

"There may come a time when you two will go forward together with your mates and families and be the brothers you should be; your mother and his, besides myself desire this outcome. But there is a lot of learning ahead for you both, before that can happen. There will be more pain Sesshoumaru, but it will be worth all in the end."

"Father...I..."

"I have to leave now my beloved son; remember I am proud of you and love you both, I always shall do. Goodbye."

"Papa, please..." Sesshoumaru reached for the image but it was gone and he fell on his face in the grass in grief. During the rest of the night, Sesshoumaru mulled over his father's words and no longer questioned the source of his image. It was his father and he knew he would not be seeing him again, but his peace was made.

Sesshoumaru was no wiser about the outcome of the fight with Naraku, nor indeed with Inuyasha, but there was a glowing ember of hope, planted by his father's words of a good future, side by side as brothers. He was not sure how he would like that or bring it about, but he had no doubt that if that was what his father wanted, that was what his father would get.

When Sesshoumaru returned to the camp, Jaken was still asleep, Rin was preparing her breakfast and Ah- Un looked and sniffed at him intently. Apparently reassured, they put their heads back down and slept until they were required. Sesshoumaru told Rin about the hot spring and gave her permission to use it after she'd eaten; he had already washed his face and got rid of the salt that had caused his face to feel tight. Soon they would all be ready to resume their journey.

Iyfic Community Week 200 Extravaganza; 20 word prompt, free word count.


	17. Unappreciated

Unappreciated.

It was not fair; he didn't deserve all the disrespect that he suffered from either of the previous Lord's arrogant pups. He was The Myouga, supreme flea of all fleas and now he had been subjected to the great indignity of attempted assassination from his young master's female, not once but twice. Granted the girl hadn't known he was there when her mechanical contraption had run over him, but the mist from her 'bug spray' had been aimed straight at him intending him harm.

Still once the misunderstanding was cleared, the female had been quite correct and polite, even after he had once again been squashed by the young master. Myouga sighed and longed for the days past when he had been valued by his late master, Inu no Taishou. The young upstart that was now in charge still had a lot to learn but was so proud that if he carried on the way he was doing he would never achieve his father's greatness.

Both boys had been left alone far too soon and didn't know how to ask for the help or advice such as he had at his many fingertips. And he had years and years of intrigue and knowledge, Inu no Taishou had seen the potential in having a tiny spy, one who could hide his aura amongst those far more powerful or physically strong.

Myouga was 'The Spy', haunting the halls of the Western Palace, hiding in the curtains or even in the long hair of the influential and reporting back to his lord any vital information that had been discussed in secret. So beneficial to the West were these tactics, that Myouga soon was a general in his own right over an army of tiny spies, all personally handpicked by him.

Of course there were other benefits for him to, as a connoisseur of female beauty there was ample opportunity to taste the delights of...well, enough to say that it had ended badly and with him engaged to be married. But even so he had been indispensable at one time and still had a fund of important information that should be useful to the current lord who was sadistic, and his own young master who could be equally obnoxious.

But he would carry on his duty regardless, he hadn't been dismissed of his responsibilities; ah well, such was the life of a flea.

IY Themes Community; prompt, Bug. 400words max


	18. Acorns

Acorns

Sesshoumaru felt rather pleased with himself; not that you could have told that by looking at the calm face. He had had a good hunt, a pleasant bath and danced under the full moon; the evening was warm and he was alone for once. His companions were resting at their camp and he could relax and think and so choosing a nice hillock to sit on, Sesshoumaru cleared his mind of the mundane and started to ponder the future without Naraku.

Unfortunately he could still hear his followers; this was fine until Jaken started to nag at Rin who was wandering off to a field of white daisies glowing in the moonlight. Jaken wanted her to go to sleep instead, which would mean he too could relax; but as usual Rin went her own sweet way. Jaken grumbled and stood on top of Ah-Un keeping look out, while spewing a long whine of complaints, varying from Rin in general and the menial task appointed to him of keeping her out of trouble.

Suddenly an acorn hit him on the head and he looked up, there was no tree above him and then another acorn hit home. Jaken looked in annoyance for the girl who was obviously throwing things and he hopped up and down in frustration when another hit his head. Meanwhile Sesshoumaru heard a childish giggle and looked down to see Rin grinning conspiratorially, holding out a handful of acorns to him.

"You are being naughty Lord Sesshoumaru."

Iyfic Community; Prompt, Childish Intentions. 250 words max


	19. Kagura

Kagura

I suppose to some I appear fickle by nature; perhaps they are right. But even if they are, they have no right to condemn me; I did not choose to be a slave. I only ever wanted my freedom, freedom to do as I pleased; I wanted to be cruel when I chose, or benevolent, or warm, sometimes playful. Yes, I suppose I am fickle; but that didn't make me wholly bad, or completely good, it was just who I am.

I hated being confined, manipulated, but when someone holds your heart it is impossible to escape; I suppose there is irony in that too. My literal heart was held by someone I hate and my figurative heart held by someone who does not seem to want it. Now I am free as I should be; If only I could take shape, my master would feel the strength I hold; he'd be buffeted and blown, condemned to all eternity in a tornado of everlasting wind.

But all I can do now is for the person I could love, to send soft breezes and gentle breaths and ease his way; sifting through his hair and warming his skin, caressing the fur he carries so proudly. I can send him scent and play with his child, ruffling her hair, blowing leaves around her so she dances with joy.

I sometimes regret no longer having form, to be a woman for her man; but I am the wind and now I'm free.

Inuyasha Issekiwa Community; prompt, Fickle. 250 words max


	20. Bitterness

Bitterness

I know you love her Inuyasha and I know that I can't compete with that love; but it is so hard and I can't help it. You see, I love you too; I always have, ever since I saw those beautiful ears and your glowing eyes so full of expression. I wanted you by my side Inuyasha, I wanted to bear your children and live with you, but I know I can't, and never can.

I don't hold that place in your heart, she does and she always will and even though I understand, and I do; it hurts and the pain becomes unbearable when I see you together. Don't you think it's ironic that I have to leave you two together? I do; I can't stay and watch for long, so often no matter what I came to say I have to run away.

You are my first and my only love; how indeed could anyone compete with you? I know you don't see your own beauty, I know the world has been cruel to you and I know too that she was the first to understand that you are a person in your own right. I'm sure that knowing how pure and beautiful she is, it didn't take you long to start to want her in the same way.

How cruel fate can be sometimes; how I wish I could compete equally with her for your love, I know I would win, but that cannot be. She is all I ever wanted to be, carefree, lively and free to love you as you truly are a hanyou. She is not bound by traditions and misunderstandings; do any of you realise that I can be just as passionate, my anger and my love is as fierce as hers. Do any of you stop to think I hate not smelling as sweet as she; that this false dead body wishes she too could cry for her lost love?

My life bound me to a course of action just as hers does when she returns to her time. We are not so different; she is just younger and without so many constraints put on her since childhood, or the limitations of a clay shell. Now I can only project cold serenity for most of the time, yet it is not how I feel. This hatred is unnatural for me; you remember how I truly am, how soft my body when I embraced you, how warm my kiss and although we remained chaste, how much our bodies yearned.

I hear them berate you when she is hurt and leaves; 'How could you? How could you betray her love?' Yet you have never betrayed her; did you court her affections, or did she just fall in love with you, as I did? Did you ever try to deceive her about your love and prior attachments and promises to me? Of course not, there is nothing deceitful about you and any way you never did recognise that someone could just love you for yourself.

It is your companions who lie and cheat, they who feed this monster of her jealousy that can be dangerously consuming. They never even knew us before, and yet they claim to know what we had. I have heard them put me down, say my love for you was conditional, and how would they know? They tell her how much better her love is, by saying I only wanted you as a human; such lies, do you now believe that?

I fell in love with a hanyou, I never saw you as a human when I lived; you guarded that secret very well, we didn't trust very much back then. No, you know I loved you, hanyou you; the silver hair, the golden eyes and the highly expressive and ever moving ears. I will never forget the excitement in the danger of your fangs and the strength of your arms when we kissed that one and only time. How dare they assume they could understand my motives for asking you to change?

Did they ever talk with you and know how much we both wanted acceptance and to live a normal life. How we could think that the only way was to wish on the jewel. Did they ever know how lonely you and I had been when set apart; how much you hated the idea of a long lonely and hated existence living as a hunted hanyou, when we could have the opportunity to live normally together and die together as humans? Did they ever think that I might fear for any part youkai children we might have had?

Doesn't your monk want a normal life without his curse; won't he do anything to get rid of it? Doesn't the slayer want a normal woman's life, a future with husband and children and not be considered a manly and unmarriageable woman, older than most, and scarred? What would they do with the jewel to get rid of it? They should think on those things before they condemn me alone for our decision.

Now all I can do is try to get rid of Naraku; the jewel can only be purified by me, your young miko is not yet skilful enough to be precise. I can only see one way and I was always the thinker of the two of us. I know you trust me, even to the detriment of your own sense of judgement. I will not betray you again Inuyasha, not like I betrayed you before. I know that will come as a shock, but it was betrayal and that is why you love her because you know she would never do what I did. Oh, I'm not talking about what Naraku did.

You know in your heart that my love was not as unselfish as hers is for you. She would always believe you, never be deceived, she tries to understand what we had; she fights her sadness and tries not to misunderstand when we meet. In my place she would never have sealed you; she would have killed you yes, but not condemned you to an eternity of endless sleep, suspended life. That was cruel and unworthy of your love; I know now, and it was in anger and raging grief that I did that, it was not a considered action.

But she would never have been that cruel and that is why she deserves you and I do not. You need each other, you deserve each other's love and that is what I see you have now, in each quarrel and hurtful word or subjugation. You are both such children, but you have eyes only for each other and you will grow out of your immature ways. I envy you both and even though I still wish it were me and not her, I will wish you well.

You will finish your obligation to me Inuyasha, you will always seek to protect me; but when your duty to me is done then you will be hers completely and I will leave you in peace to your joint future. Our time was never to be.

Iyfic Community; prompt, How Could You. 250 words minimum


	21. Cold Tea

Cold Tea

Tea, what a strange institution that was, the one constant in her life; a pot was made to warm, calm, comfort and helped her to endure. Whatever the circumstances, whatever the trials, a pot of tea was always made as a prelude to the solution. At first tea was always nice and hot, refreshing, and for a moment made it possible to forget anything else but the flavour. It was essential for solemn occasions or casual drop in guests; after all, there was always more tea in the pot.

There were the days of lukewarm tea, or any other supposed to be hot drink for that matter; the days of babies and young children. When the beverage was put down to attend to some crisis or another before being swallowed cool, until the schooldays came and freedom of sorts allowed the pleasure of a hot drink again. Although even then it took a while to get back into the habit of drinking piping hot refreshment.

Mama Higurashi looked down at yet another now cold tea in her cup; but she was not really seeing the clear tan coloured fluid, she was lost in thought. It was a familiar occurrence for her to sit at the table alone, with the once hot drink and just wonder. Wonder if her daughter was warm, hungry, happy, safe...alive. Time to ponder on whether or not she was a bad mother for allowing her daughter to follow the young, personable and very male hanyou, somewhere far out of her maternal reach and into certain danger.

This was her private time to wallow, when Souta was in bed and the old man retired to his room for the evening; her time for letting her fears take shape. Her time, when she could admit how scared she was for her girl and the youth she accompanied, for he was dear to her as well. This was the time of her darkest thoughts; sometimes they were so dark it scared her and often it was the only time she could shed her tears. Although this was usually done in the privacy of her room so that the sensitive inu nose of the youth would not worry, he already had enough to fret about.

Then her time was over, the obvious concerns tucked away behind her mask, as the thankfully cheerful greeting of Kagome was heard, along with the familiar grumble of the boy and Mama was once again all smiles of welcome. The motherly duties of arranging baths, putting up futons and blankets and replenishing supplies, had to be completed before feeding the voraciously hungry pair; and before listening to the latest tales of heroics and smiling at the blushes of the boy as the girl praised him in glowing terms.

But rather all of that than when just the girl returned alone in tears or frustration, even though she was often followed by the boy; contrite, but prickly and defensive. It was so hard to watch the young love grow and develop and yet not interfere; and to not allow the heartache show on her face when she considered the very real danger that she would lose both of them to the past. They were dark thoughts indeed.

But surprisingly Inuyasha never failed to notice the cups of cold tea and he understood; he was comparatively very young and yet he was also long lived and wise in understanding a mother's worries; and he would put his welcomed strong arms round Mama and promise that he would keep her daughter safe.

IY Themes community, prompt Dark; 750 words max


	22. Guilt

Guilt

Huge golden eyes stared up in bewilderment at the tall figure whose own eyes were identical in colour except for the sharpness of ice. Looking down his nose at the dirty, hungry urchin, Sesshoumaru sneered. The dusty red clothes were in disrepair from the latest fracas in which his brother had been involved; and Inuyasha was wincing from obvious bruises on his body. The pup had been beaten and had a smear of blood across his face and hand, from a nosebleed, carelessly wiped.

Behind the tall youkai and peering at the dishevelled scrap of ill treated childhood, three smaller well fed, well dressed and cared for, beings lurked. On observing Inuyasha, one sneered like his lord, one hid his thoughts as always, and one shed a tear for the boy. The hanyou reached out his hand to his brother in supplication, but the youkai ignored him and turned his head calling to his companions to leave.

"Why, Sesshoumaru? Why do you care for them and not me?"

"Cease to pry into my affairs hanyou."

"I am a child too...will you leave me to die?"

"You are nothing." He said quietly and walked away with his entourage, caring nothing for the boy who hid his face in his hands letting darkness descend on his poor heart. When Sesshoumaru glanced back, the child was dead on the ground, just a grubby smudge of red and silver.

The uneasy Daiyoukai awoke with a jolt; thankful it had only been a dream.

Inuyasha Issekiwa Community; prompt, Pry. 250 words max


	23. Grave

Grave

The area was sheltered by trees, yet the small weathered stone lay in a grassy mound where the sun could warm its crudely carved word, as it could no longer warm the bones beneath. Inuyasha placed the posy of wildflowers in front of his mother's name and sat alone thinking, the contented sounds of the waterfowl on the lake assuring him he was otherwise alone. Inuyasha didn't come often or at regular times to visit, he didn't want anyone desecrating her resting place because of her connection with him.

But he would talk to her as he could not to any other; the secrets of his troubled heart were unburdened to the gentle memory of this woman, not much more than a girl who had given him life. There were no tears at these times, they had long since been shed and dried; but his soul was soothed always, as if she could still enfold him in her arms and shut out the cruel world he too often knew. In memories never forgotten; Izayoi lived on.

He'd made this little shrine like place for her, with childish fingers that eventually grew to his adult size. It was not a shrine of course, she was no Kami, nor was she a saint; his presence on earth testified to that. Izayoi had just been a girl in love with his father, not caring about propriety and carrying their son to birth.

No Goddess or Queen, just a lonely boy's beloved mother.

Inuyasha Issekiwa Community: Prompt Shrine; 250 words max


	24. Perhaps

Perhaps

A/N This is early in manga history.

Dreams were for fools; if she only knew the dreams he had, she would not want to stay. Hers no doubt were all pretty and pink; in bubbles of innocent laughter, romantic and childish. What did she truly know of the life he knew she thought she wanted with him? His own nightmares were black and blue like the bruises he still carried in his heart, which mimicked the injuries that his body suffered at the hand of those who hated his kind.

What future did she think she could possibly have with him, and did she really believe that he would be so selfish as to sire life that would be as loathed as he was? One of the reasons he'd considered turning human was so that he could have some semblance of a normal life...and a normal death; he certainly wasn't going to change for Kikyou alone, no matter how much he loved her. He laughed to himself; they would have tainted the wish with such a selfish hope.

But Inuyasha hated being human, he loathed his humanity as much as his brother Sesshoumaru did; but he admitted there had been times when the thought of a shortened lifespan was attractive. Endless running and fighting were not circumstances that anyone sane would attempt to bring a family up in, and he would know. His own mother had always had to be aware of who was around her; she was no stranger to assassination attacks, not so much for herself, but certainly for the small hanyou.

No, Inuyasha didn't have the nice snugly dreams that made anyone go 'Ahhhh' and too often his nightmares found their way into his everyday life, so that his reality was distorted. He had to admit though that envy of Kagome's dreams made him angry, he would love to be able to escape the inescapable; a hanyou was not entitled to a pleasant life let alone a peaceful sleep. All she did was make him realise even more how different he was, and how much he didn't fit in anywhere.

But then she did have that smile and the twinkle in her eyes that he knew was just for him and sometimes, she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking and her gaze would be more intense. And the swift anger that made pink sparks when someone was rude or unkind to him could match his own volatile manner in a way he'd not seen before. She was not even afraid of his brother if she was defending him.

In his dreams no one cared about his life or showed him respect or love; yet she did. She treated him as a friend, as if he had a right to live and she was unafraid of his fangs and claws, holding his hand as if it couldn't rend her muscle and sinew from her bones. She was a fool, but she had become his without his assent, and he didn't want to let her go. Perhaps dreams could change; perhaps they didn't always portend, perhaps he could have a different reality one day.

First Tweak Community: prompt, Dream; 301 words min.


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